browser-session-ctl
github.com/borisreitman/browser-session-ctl- Category
- Developer Tools
- Rank
- No. 3896Tools index
Previous survey · No. 3727 ·
- Pricing
- Open Source
- Type
- TOOL
- Use case
- Workflow Automation
- Interfaces
- Browser Extension · API
- GitHub
- 2 stars
- Date
About
browser-session-ctl loads an unpacked Chrome extension into a user's existing browser session, then exposes it to local scripts and AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.) via a shell-accessible sidecar over HTTP and WebSocket. Unlike Selenium, it drives the tabs, cookies, and logins already open rather than a fresh logged-out browser, so an agent can read a page the user is viewing, fill a form on an already-authenticated site, or hand off a browser task mid-flow without re-authenticating.
At a glance
browser-session-ctl gives a local agent shell commands for reading and controlling Chrome tabs through an extension. It is worth examining only when you deliberately need the agent to share a specific browser session.
Good fit
Developers testing an authorized browser workflow in a dedicated profile.
Consider something else when
Use a separate automation browser if the profile contains personal or work logins.
Start here
Review the manifest first. If evaluating later, use an empty dedicated profile and a harmless test page. Check which tabs the agent can see before introducing any accounts.
Cost and requirements
GPL-3.0-or-later project. The documented setup uses an unpacked Chrome extension and a local Node sidecar.
Limits to know
The extension asks for access to all websites and can act on tabs in the profile where it is installed. A loopback sidecar does not narrow what the agent can see in that profile.
Why it made the leaderboard
It solves the re-authentication problem in agent browser automation by letting Claude Code or similar agents act on tabs, cookies, and sessions you already have open, rather than a blank automated browser.
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Editorially curated, with community endorsements as a secondary signal. Corrections welcome.